Doctors, activist charge-sheeted for death due to negligence

Two doctors and a social activist have been charge-sheeted by the Delhi Police in connection with the death of a woman who was lured into undergoing an unnecessary operation. Their sole intent was allegedly to grab a percentage of the Rs.10,000-fee.

The District Investigation Unit of the Delhi Police have charge-sheeted Jeewan Mala Hospital owner Vikash Sabharwal, gynaecologist Kokil Gulati and activist Poonam for operating upon Kanika Singhal in an unprofessional manner by giving an overdose of anaesthesia without checking her vital parameters and giving wrong drugs during the minor surgery for post-delivery uneasiness. The accused have been summoned by a court on March 6.

Out on anticipatory bail, the trio have been charge-sheeted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, cheating and forgery.

Unqualified

Poonam, who had administered anaesthesia to the victim, is not a qualified doctor but a Class XII pass social worker. She was roped in by the nursing home to lure the victim as the hospital authorities were interested in making money, the charge sheet said.

“There was no qualified anaesthetist inside the operation theatre during surgery. No pre-anaesthetic check-up was carried out on the patient. The owner and the operating doctor, both are responsible for this negligence,” said the charge sheet.

It was also revealed that Dr. Kokil administered Sorbitrate to Kanika after which her blood pressure fell drastically which did the greater damage but “the drugs used during resuscitation were administered by unqualified staff on the direction of Dr. Kokil. This amounts to gross negligence,” the charge sheet said citing the Department of Forensic Sciences of Maulana Azad Medical College.

It said even if the patient was in anaphylactic shock, she could have been revived by administering timely drugs but the same was not done resulting in her death.